In July this year The Irish Heart Foundation’s ICD (Implantable Defibrillator) Patient Group surveyed its members to measure their experiences of hospital services following a “shock” from their internal defibrillator. Over 2,000 people now have ICDs in Ireland, yet there are no specific ambulance and emergency department protocols for patients with the device.  We received 80 responses from ICD patients who had received a “shock” from their device and had been admitted to hospital as a result.

ICD Survey Results

ICD Patient Survey Findings and Results, October 2011. 

Responses were mostly positive, especially from patients who attended cardiology centres.  Emergency room waiting times were particularly good with 83% of respondents getting triaged within an hour.  

However, 8% of respondents answered that no one on their healthcare team knew what an ICD was and 25% responded that some members of their healthcare team did not know what an ICD was.  These figures show a clear need for ICD training among emergency department staff. 

Another area of concern is the fact that 37% of respondents were brought to their nearest acute hospital that did not have the equipment to test the ICD and many had to wait to be transferred.  The patients that had to wait for transfers to centres that could manipulate their device were quite distressed.  We have sent these results to the HSE to ask for protocols to be put in place,  so patients that have had a shock are not just brought to the nearest acute hospital but to a hospital that has the equipment to test their device.

What's next?

The Irish Heart Foundation sent the reaults to the HSE Emergency Medicine Programme in October 2011.  The programme has set up a working group to write the ICD guidelines.  They are keeping us updated of progress on the drafting and implementing of the ICD guidelines.  

Thank you to everyone who returned a survey, your responses have made it possible for us to advocate to the HSE to develop the ICD guidelines. 

The ICD group is a representative body for people in Ireland with ICDs; they provide information, assistance and support for patients and their families.  For more information on the group, contact Tracy Egan tegan@irishheart.ie.